Automatic closing valve



Aug. 26, 1947.

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4 M U I V y p gear TOM GYUNDER 2s EDWIN E. HEDENE attorneg Patented Aug. 26, 1947 AUTOMATIC CLOSING VALVE Edwin E. Hedene, Oakland, Calif., asslgnor, by

meme assignments, to Rockwell Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application May 25, 1942, Serial No. 444,335, now Patent No. 2,381,447, dated August Divided and this application August 25, 1942, Serlal No. 455,997

The present invention relates to fluid operated check valves for use on fluid distribution mains or the like.

In my. copending application, filed December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372,455, for Fluid operated check valve, now U. S. Patent No. 2,302,370, granted November 17, 1942, I describe and claim a construction in which a main valve in a pipe line is operated by fluid pressure actuating means connected to a reservoir and the pipe line with a throttle valve between the connections, and which will operate to close the main valve should a break occur in the pipe line. Such construction can be applied where the pressure differential across the throttle valve is high enough to actuate the main valve actuating means.

The present invention is applicable to constructions wherein the pressure differential across the throttle valve isnot great enough to operate the main valve actuating means and in the preferred embodiment of the present invention I employ a switching valve for the main valve actuating means and a pilot pressure actuated means for the switching valve so connected that the main valve actuating means is operted by the diiferential between the pipe line pressure and the atmosphere. This construction enables the use of a smaller valve actuating means, and for example, where a piston and cylinder are employed as a valve actuating means, the piston and cylinder may be of smaller diameter, thus effecting a saving in material. Also, if desired, the valve actuating means may be operated by a smaller diiferential across the throttle valve than in the modification shown in said application.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a view diagrammatically illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the opposite position of the switching valve,

Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the main valve closed, and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a switched position of valve l6.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a pipeline comprising an upstream portion I and a downstream portion 2 having a valve 3 inter- 2 Claims. (01. 137-153) posed therein. As shown, thi valve preferably I is of the rotary plug type and has a gear segment 4 secured to its stem adapted to be operated by a gear rack 5.

A cylinder ii is suitably supported from the valve casing and has a piston I2 therein connected by a screw threaded rod l3 and a lock nut 48 or the like to the rack 5. A reservoir I4 is provided which normally is supplied by and is maintained at the same pressure as the pipe line, by means of a conduit i5, valve I6 and conduit 29 connected downstream from valve 3. Conduit l5 has a valve ll therein of a type which may serve as a throttle or choke valve. The upper chamber 23 of the cylinder I l above the piston is connected by a conduit 16 through a passageway 18 in a switching valve TI and conduits 19 and I! to one side of the throttle valve II, this connection being made in the preferred embodiment to the reservoir 1,4. The lower chamber 26 is exhausted to atmosphere through conduit 80, passageway 8| in the switching valve and conduit 82, so that the pressure across piston I2 is pipe line pressure on one side and atmospheric pressure on the other. When switching valve 11, which preferably is of the four-way plug type, is turned to the position shown in Figure 2, the lower chamber 26 connects through conduit 80, passageway 18 and conduits 19 and I5 tothe reservoir 14 and at the same time the upper chamber 23 exhausts to atmosphere through conduit l6, passageway 8i and conduit 82. .Thus, the application of fluid pressure across thevpiston I2 is reversed.

The actuating mechanism for valve l1 preferably comprises a cylinder 61 having a piston 68 therein to provide chambers 66 and B9 on opposite sides thereof which are connected to opposite sides of throttle valve ll. Thus, chamber 66 is connected by conduit to conduit I5 on the pipeline side of throttle valve I1, and chamber 69 is connected by conduits 19 and 15 to the reservoir side of the throttle valve. Piston 68 has a stem or rod H with a head engaging one end of a slot in rack 12, so that rack 12 can'be moved in one direction only. However, a removable pin 14 passing through the rack and piston rod links them together so that rod H and rack 12 may move together in the opposite direction. Normally the pin 14 is not in place. Rack 12 meshes with a gear segment 13 on switching valve I1 to rotate the switching valve through a quarter turn.

The operation of the apparatus now will be described. In Figure 1 with the main valve 3 open so that gas can flow therethrough, the reservoir I 4, chambers 6 and 69 of cylinder 81 and chamber 23 of cylinder II and all the piping will be at substantially the same pressure as the gas in pipe 2, and chamber 26 and conduit 80 will be at atmospheric pressure. In the normal operation of the pipe line, the pressure of the gas in pipes I and 2 and in valve 3 may vary considerably, due to changes in the demand for gas or in the rate at which gas is fed into the pipe line. However, such normal changes in pressure are relatively gradual, allowing time for sufllcient gas to pass through throttle valve II into or out of reservoir I4 to maintain the pressure in the reservoir in substantial equilibrium with the pressure in the pipe line. Likewise, the pressures in chambers .66 and 68, at opposite sides of the piston 68, will remain in substantial equilibrium and will not produce suiflcient differential pressure to move piston 88 and the mechanism to which it is connected.

Should a 'break occur in the line in the downstream conduit 2, the pressure in the pipes I and 2 will fall rapidly and the pressure in conduit l5 also will fall. Because of the throttling action of valve H, the gas in chamber 69 of the pilot cylinder 6'! cannot flow through conduits I9 and I5 and reservoir I 4 into conduit I5 as rapidly as gas from chamber 66 can flow through conduit 65 into conduit I5, so that the pressure in chamber 66 falls rapidly and the pressure in chamber 69 moves piston 68 to the right and through rack 12 and gear segment moves valve 1'! to the position shown in Figure 2. In this position chamber 23 exhausts to atmosphere through conduit 16, passageway 8I and conduit 82, and chamber 26 becomes connected with the reservoir I4 through conduit 80, passageway 18 and conduits I9 and I5, to move piston I2 to its uppermost position and close valve 3 as shown in Figure 3. Due to the escape of gas from the break in main 2, the pressure in reservoir I4 and cylinders II and 61 falls to atmospheric pressure.

Upon repair of the break, valve 3 will not be actuated until the reservoir I4 is again filled with gas under pressure and switching valve 11 returned to the position shown in Figure 1. This is accomplished, first, by turning valve I6 to the position shown in Figure 4, thereby connecting conduit 85 to conduit l5, which will permit gas to flow into reservoir I4 through valve II. Because of the restriction of valve II, the pressure will rise more rapidly in chamber 66 than in chamber 69, thereby moving piston 68 back to the position shown in Figure 1. However, because of the telescoping connection between the rod II and the rack I2, the return movement of piston 68 will not move valve II from the position shown in Figure 2. Valve 11 then may be operated manually, returning it to the position shown in Figure 1, whereupon high pressure gas from reservoir II will be admitted to chamber 23, returning piston I2 to its lowermost position and reopening valve 3 for resumption of normal pipe line operation.

If the break occurs in pipe section I and section 2 is downstream therefrom, a similar action will occur. After piston 68 has moved to its right end position and has turned switching valve 11 to the position shown in Figure 2, the valve 3 will close and the pressure in section I will probably be reduced to atmospheric pressure by loss through the break, while the pressure in reservoir I4 and chambers 68, 63 and 28 will become equalized. After the break in main I is repaired, and pressure is let into the main, the valve 3 may be reopened by manually turning valve 11 back to the position shown in Figure 1 as heretoiore described. However, if sufficient pressure to operate piston I2 and valve 3 has not been retained in pipe 2 and reservoir I4 during the time required to repair the break in pipe I, valve I3 may be turned manually to the position shown in Figure 4, thereby admitting high pressure gas from pipe I to the valve operating system.

It should be observed that, with valve I 6 either in the position shown in Figure 1 or in the position shown in Figure 4, the automatic closing system will operate to close valve 3 in the event of a break in either pipe I or pipe 2. Valve I8 permits withdrawal of high pressure gas from either pipe I or pipe 2 for the purpose of reopening valve 3 after an automatic closing operation has taken place and pressure has been subsequently reestablished in the main pipe line system.

This application is a continuation in part of said application Serial No. 372,455, and is a division of my copending application Serial No. 444,335, for Fluid pressure operated value, flied May 25, 1942.

What I claim as my invention' and desire to secure by United States Letter Patent is:

1. In a fluid distribution system, the combination of a pipe line, a main valve in said pipe line, a reservoir for storing fluid under pressure, main fluid pressure responsive means connected to the reservoir for operating said main valve, a pilot valve in said connection for controlling the application of fluid pressure to said means, fluid pressure means having a direct operating connection with said pilot valve. a conduit between the pipe line on one side of the main valve and the reservoir including means restricting flow between the reservoir and the pipe line in both directions, a connection between the conduit and one side 01' said pilot valve operating means on the pipe line side of said restricting means, a second conduit between the reservoir and the other side of the pilot valve operating means whereby a rate of change in pressure in the pipe line greater than a balancing flow through the restricting means actuates the pilot valve operating means to actuate said main operating means and close the main valve, and said operating connection between the fluid pressure means and pilot valve including means preventing reverse operation of the pilot valve by fluid pressure.

2. Apparatus for automatically controlling a main valve in a fluid flow line comprising a fluid pressure responsive device having a movable member connected to said main valve and chambers on opposite sides of said member, a source of fluid pressure, a first conduit means connected between said source and said line including a.

manual valve for selectively connecting said first conduit means to said flow line upstream or downstream of said main valve, a restricted flow throttle valve in said first conduit means, a second conduit means connecting said source to one of said chambers, a reversing valve in said second conduit means, and a second fluid pressure responsive device connected across said throttle valve and directly actuating said reversing valve only in response to an abnormal pressure drop Number Name Date in the fluid flow line. 2,081,542 Kidney May 25, 1937 EDWIN E. HEDENE. 1,892,462 Wait Jan. 3, 1933 1,893,462 Walt Jan. 3, 1933 REFERENCES CITED 5 2,148,410 Wait Feb. 21, 1939 Th 1 f o d i t 2,160,766 Thomason May 30, 1939 me g gggg are 0 m r n 6 1,514,839 Edwards Nov. 11, 1924 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Number Name Date 10 Number Country Date 2,041,862 Rhodes May 26, 1936 268,544 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1927 

